Monday, October 10, 2016

THE NORTHERN COLLECTOR WATER TUNNEL SAGA - why now?

Raila is the smartest politician around, he knows how to turn attention when it matters most. "Baba" as he is populary known is currently experiencing a wave of dissidence in his backyard, his partners in cord are unhappy with his conduct ........ a story for another day. My interest is on how he has managed turn everybodys' attention away from problem locking his coalition to the current "scandal"; the Northern collector water tunnel scandal. If Raila is genuinely concern ....... why wait for two years to raise the ISSUE?

The truth of the MATTER is that a number of studies have been carried out on the Northern Collector System, which have involved detailed data collection and analysis to assess its viability. The initial studies are documented in Feasibility Reports of 1998, carried out by M/S Howard Humphreys and Partners Ltd under the Third Nairobi Water Supply Project. The 1998 report investigated to greater detail the technical and economic viability of the Northern Collector Scheme as a source of water after Ndakaini Dam. The report recommended implementation of the Northern Water Collector Tunnel Phase 1 project by the year 2010. Due to funding challenges the project was not implemented as planned.In the year 2012, Athi Water Services Board through Egis/MIBP JV carried out the Feasibility Study and Master Plan for Developing New Water Sources for Nairobi and Satellite Towns. This study validated the 1998 report and further recommended implementation of the Northern Collector Tunnel project. Additional hydrological reviews for the project wereundertaken by M/s GIBB Africa as part of the ESIA Study process further validating the hydrological and ecological viability of the project.